This film…. shouldn’t exist. And I don’t mean to say that because I think this film is bad, far from it. This film had so much stuff working against it and also is just a hodgepodge of coincidence that is pulled off so well that I can’t believe it exists. It’s a film starring two actresses known for being in Emmanuelle knockoffs and features references to Antonioni and Pasolini, but also features a woman basically being baptized with cum in a very literal sense. The film serves as an excuse to just go out to Egypt and film whatever. Just a bunch of rich assholes being awful to one another and to the local population. It’s so beautifully shot that I forgot that this was supposed to be an exploitation film. I could easily see one of the more transgressive directors of today making a film similar to this with just as much nudity and blood. Again, just awful people being awful to one another in some of the most beautiful places you’ve ever seen. Brunello Rondi does such a great job with the camera and with his actors that I was surprised to see exactly how great all of these actors were. It was like I was watching them for the first time when I had already seen most of them outside of the context of exploitation film before and am well aware of what actors like Gabriele Tinti and Annie Belle. Laura Gemser especially shines here, showing subtlety not afforded her in roles she’s played in other films and actually having a bit of life to her instead of the stilted, choreographed sensuality she puts on in the Black Emanuelle films where her body is on display at almost all times.
This film…. shouldn’t exist. And I don’t mean to say that because I think this film is bad, far from it. This film had so much stuff working against it and also is just a hodgepodge of coincidence that is pulled off so well that I can’t believe it exists. It’s a film starring two actresses known for being in Emmanuelle knockoffs and features references to Antonioni and Pasolini, but also features a woman basically being baptized with cum in a very literal sense. The film serves as an excuse to just go out to Egypt and film whatever. Just a bunch of rich assholes being awful to one another and to the local population. It’s so beautifully shot that I forgot that this was supposed to be an exploitation film. I could easily see one of the more transgressive directors of today making a film similar to this with just as much nudity and blood. Again, just awful people being awful to one another in some of the most beautiful places you’ve ever seen. Brunello Rondi does such a great job with the camera and with his actors that I was surprised to see exactly how great all of these actors were. It was like I was watching them for the first time when I had already seen most of them outside of the context of exploitation film before and am well aware of what actors like Gabriele Tinti and Annie Belle. Laura Gemser especially shines here, showing subtlety not afforded her in roles she’s played in other films and actually having a bit of life to her instead of the stilted, choreographed sensuality she puts on in the Black Emanuelle films where her body is on display at almost all times.